It feels like ages since I've posted on here, while in reality it's been a week. Time really does fly when you're busy exploring the Clifs of Moher, drinking cider in the Scholar's club, and capsizing a kayak in an olympic-sized pool. Let me start from the beginning..
After classes ended on Friday, House 6 had family dinner and I made mac & cheese and strawberry muffins (strange combination, I know, but it was delicious!) The mac & cheese was a hit, especially because it had Toy Story characters in them (thanks mom!) After dinner, we trekked to the cinema to see Going the Distance--I'll admit, I had more fun watching Bea try to figure out what was going on then actually watching the movie. Bea is my Spanish friend who provides most of my comic relief here in Ireland.
Saturday was by far the best day I've had in Ireland so far (and trust me, I've had MANY good days). Why, you ask? Because I went to the Cliffs of Moher (see picture above-I took that myself, btw!). The Cliffs are absolutely stunning. Let me back up-the whole trip from Limerick to the Cliffs was stunning. It was raining the minute we got on the bus, and the first cool thing I saw was a little cottage outside of Limerick centered under the most captivating rainbow I'd ever seen. This is where the pots of gold and rainbows MUST have come from--rainbows are as common here as a pint of guinness. We made a pit-stop at the Burren in County Clare and marveled at the stone structures that are still erect even after centuries of humanly and weatherly abuse. (PS, I'm going ROCK CLIMBING at the Burren this weekend--pictures WILL be taken..) After the Burren, we ate lunch in a pub and continued on our way to the Cliffs. I should now mention that riding in a giant tour bus on roads that look like they are bicycle trails is a bit unsettling, especially when there is a drop-off that leads to the Atlantic Ocean should you go off the road....
Anyways, the Cliffs are impressive, and that might be the understatement of the century. The wind alone was enough to literally knock you off your feet. I don't want to go into too much detail about the Cliffs, because I truly believe they are something that needs to be experienced first-hand.
So that was last weekend. This week has been quite eventful as well. School is school-nothing too exciting there, although I love my Spanish lecturer and I’m slightly terrified by my Irish poetry lecturer (they take poetry VERY seriously here-I wouldn’t advise making fun of the name Limerick, haha). Monday night I had my first mountain biking (MBUL) meeting, and I got to know the hardcore bikers in the group over a few pints of Bulmers and probably the most delicious pizza I have ever had the opportunity of consuming. Tuesday, I kayaked in an Olympic-sized pool with the scores of other kayaking club members. Wednesday, I went on my first outing with the MBUL club, and I have only word one to describe my experience: AWESOME. I’ve always enjoyed biking, but I never realized how much I actually LOVE it. I haven’t played any basketball since I’ve been in Ireland, which is a total shame, but I can honestly say that MB has filled this void in a tremendous way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not very good at MB yet, and I was petrified on more than one occasion last night. I’m pretty sure I left my comfort zone somewhere between biking down a steep incline with tree roots entangled in the dirt, and riding down a set of concrete steps (I felt like a BMX biker, no joke). I can’t WAIT for next week’s excursion: night riding in the forest!
I guess you could say I’m having an alright time here on the Emerald Isle ;) I have a busy schedule planned for the next few days as well:
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